Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: tireman on January 10, 2014, 01:07:27 pm
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As a new beekeeper this year, I was wondering when normal activity starts in my area? I am building some swarm traps this weekend and was just curious. I am located in east central Mississippi.
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You are down south from me so at this point I am just starting to repair/replace equipment and feeding as our pollen flow is still in Late Feb. to early March (feather permitting.) You might consider locating and joining a local beekeeper's club as they can give you local answers to location specific questions. The club may have classes (ours start Feb. 1st) and even a mentoring program where someone will come to your hive and talk you thru what you are doing. Good Luck -Mike
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I'm waiting on the good folks from La to start talking about swarm calls. I figure they are a couple to three weeks ahead of us.
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in east central alabama march 15th used to be the earliest i'd ever get a call but after april 1st was more the norm. late march/early april the first sunny day after rainy or cold weather usually fires them up.
the guys on the gulf coast start catching them earlier.
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Memory is one of the first to go, I don't recall when I start seeing swarms. One of the first flows I get is Laurel cherries, which usually start by mid Feb., I would say swarms would be in March. You can ask Bud, he's just east of you.
Joe
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I'm in Central Arkansas and I got my 1st call for a swarm the 3rd week in March last year.
Year before last it was the last week in February.
I'm waiting for the folks in Louisiana to start talk'n about swarm catching then I only have a couple of weeks till it starts here.
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Guys, if you are into swarm collecting, register on www.swarmpatrol.com (http://www.swarmpatrol.com) and make your local community aware of it. Fully automated system, sends out a text message to the nearest beekeepers. Has been working really well down under and it has only been up a couple of months. I look forward to seeing many of you on there if you are not already there. SwarmPatrol is tracking the dates of reported swarms so there should be some good data coming out of it over the next few years.
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At the annual meeting at Buds in Macon, there always seems to be swarm activity. This is usually mid April.
Be on the lookout for henbit, privet and blackberry blooms. They all help build the bee populations.
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henbit is coming up right now i expect it and blackberry to start blooming in late february. maples should be starting any time now. i'm already way behind. next year will be different.......
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I forgot to mention when there starts to be an abundance of drones, swarms will soon follow.
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henbit is coming up right now i expect it and blackberry to start blooming in late february. maples should be starting any time now. i'm already way behind. next year will be different.......
Never seen a bee on Henbit, but they really like Deadnettle here, looks a lot like Henbit.